A New Life to Live
by cupcakes-20
Summary: Things had changed. Peeta and I were constantly monitored by the Capitol; sometimes they left us alone, but that was rare and out of the norm... they hated us. They hated everything we had done to them. This is my 1st Hunger Games story. Please R
1. A Single Shot

1**Author's Note:** **Well, I'm going to give it a shot! I really enjoyed this book so I thought I would try to write a fanfiction. This takes place about a half of a year after Peeta and Katniss had arrived back from the Games. Please let me know what you think so far. I know it isn't very long, but if you like it and I get reviews then I'll write more. =] thanks. **

**Cupcakes**

**Disclaimer****: Although I would love to claim the ownership of The Hunger Games, I cannot. The story unfortunately belongs to the lovely and brilliant Suzanne Collins. I am merely using her wonderful ideas.**

_Chapter I: A Single Shot_

I didn't let a sound escape from my lips; nothing on the face of the planet could have been as quiet or as poised as I was there. Not a leaf on the tree quivered as I loaded my bow with a new arrow. My fingers were light as feathers; they grazed over everything I touched and everything in my view seemed to be moving in a very dramatic slow motion. With my bow loaded, I crouched down farther on the limb and focused in on the aged buck.

He was huge.

His antlers sprouted wildly on either side of his light-brown colored head; it was amazing how easily he could graze without getting his antlers tangled in the high grasses or the low branches. The buck's whitish tail twitched with every sound his delicate ears received, so I was careful to stay very silent. He was so calm and collected; he was so vulnerable.

_What a beautiful animal_.

I couldn't help but feel a bit of remorse for the poor thing as I pulled back on the string and let loose. I aimed straight for his heart. Never had I missed, and this was not a time for an exception.

The graceful buck jerked back from the grass very suddenly and moaned painfully. His eyes began flitting back and forth wildly as if they were searching for some sight of help and his legs shook violently underneath him. It was pitiful how helpless the poor creature was with blood running out of his chest and foam beginning to form in his mouth; thankfully the blow had hit his heart straight on and he quickly slipped out of consciousness and crumpled to the ground. His head rested peacefully among the lavender.

You would think that after having been forced to be around so much death and mayhem I would choose to stay away from hunting and all other violent activities, but sadly enough that was not the case. The Hunger Games, as oddly as it may seem, traumatized me at first, but I got over it and it made me stronger. It was hard for me to get back into my daily activities, especially with the Capitol on my tail- our tails, but after all of the nonsense had "settled", I let myself return to normal.

Normal never was the same though.

Things had changed. Peeta and I were constantly monitored by the Capitol; sometimes they left us alone, but that was rare and out of the norm. Everyone wanted to know what Katniss and Peeta were up to, so naturally the press followed us, and the Capitol hated it. They hated us. They hated everything that we had done to them.

Those first few weeks of threats and the fear of being taken in and made into and Avox were so frightening. The fact that Gale never would look at me the same again didn't help the complicated situation either, and for a long time Peeta wouldn't look at me either- unless, of course, we were in the eye of the public.

My heart was broken because of my excessive indecisiveness; I was very depressed at first because I couldn't figure out who I loved and who I liked. I was so confused and shocked from figuring out that Peeta loved me, that I didn't even know if what I had felt was real, or if I had simply been acting.

Gale and Peeta often proved to be a source of aggravation for me, so I ended up avoiding them as they were avoiding me. I hated the situation, and I knew they hated it. I couldn't let my feelings stop me, though. I had to adjust because I had a family to tend to, a new home to furnish, and a new life to put on track; I just didn't have time to care about the frivolous topics in life anymore. I had to do it for my delicate little Prim, and I didn't like it very much.

That's why I ended up returning to my passion: hunting. Hunting was how I vented my anger and it was the only place that I didn't have to worry about being followed. I despised how I had to find an outlet for my anger, but what was a girl to do?

However, no matter how far back I pushed my thoughts of Gale and Peeta into my mind, they always returned to me very unpleasantly. Whenever I went grocery shopping (which was rare because we had new "servants" which did most things for us) I would nearly cry when I had to purchase bread, especially when I passed Peeta's family's bakery. Now, every time I went hunting the feeling was bittersweet. I thought as time passed, my feelings would become more clear, and they did- sort of.

I knew I loved Peeta, but did I love him romantically, and did he still love me? I couldn't tell because Peeta hadn't spoken with me very often after I had crushed him. I also knew that I loved Gale, but did I love him more or less than Peeta? I hadn't progressed very far over the past year. Not very far at all.

I sighed heavily and decided to push back the depressing thoughts; I had to keep going no matter how tough things were. I jumped down from the branch that I had been perched on and landed softly on my feet.

I pushed a stray hair out of my eye and tried to be proud of my kill. He was such a gorgeous buck; I really couldn't believe that I had killed him with a single shot. Then again, I _had_ killed the boy from District 1 with a single shot.

My body involuntarily quivered at the memory, and my heart ached for my darling Rue. She was so innocent- just as the buck had been.

Stuffing the bow in my pack, I made my way towards the buck.

I stood over top of the animal with my legs on either side of it and put my arms around its shoulders. _I can do this._ I remembered what my father had told me long ago and tried to lift with my knees, but the huge animal just wouldn't budge. I pulled and tugged and grunted loudly, but the stupid animal just wouldn't move.

I stood back, panting heavily with sweat spilling down my forehead and chuckled bitterly. There was no way that I could take the buck home because I was too weak, and it was just too heavy!

"Great... just wonderful." I said quietly with an edge in my voice.

I placed my hands on my hips and tried to think, but there was just now way for me to get that buck home.

A quiet, almost pained laugh sounded from behind me, and my heart began racing wildly. I spun on my heal and pulled out my bow defensively, which I quickly loaded, and aimed in the direction of the sound. My mind was racing. Who had followed me? How had they found me? Why were they here in the middle of the woods? What were they going to do?

"Who's there?!" I asked with fear obvious in my voice.

I never would have expected to see the person that stepped out from the shadows, but I had to have been seeing correctly- I mean after all I had just shot and killed a buck with a single arrow. My eyes were perfectly fine... but then... why was he here?

**A/N:**** Please review; I know it isn't very good and I apologize, but I tried at least. Let me know what you think so far. Is it Gale or Peeta? Have you figured out who I'm for yet?**


	2. Imminent Doom

1**A/N: Thank you to those of you who reviewed! So many people don't take the time to, and I so appreciate the time and effort those of you did take to leave a comment. I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**Oh, and in the last A/N I accidentally said that this was about six months after the Games, but it is actually a year after. Sorry for the mix up!**

_Chapter II: Imminent Doom_

Peeta limped out of the brush slowly and smiled sheepishly at me. He was wearing a dark green button down shirt and a pair of tan-colored pants. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt just above his elbows; Peeta never really was much for dress clothing, he had always preferred to be casual._ Why, though, is he dressed up?_ I looked at him suspiciously and waited for him to say something.

"You seem to be in need of some help," he said softly, making sure to let his eyes wander very slowly everywhere except to my own eyes. "I don't know how much I can assist you, though."

I glanced at his bad leg briefly and my eyes narrowed at him. He hadn't spoken with me for over eight months, and I couldn't help but wonder why he was here speaking with me now.

"How did you find me here?" I asked, ignoring his last statement completely.

I realized then that my bow was still drawn, and he seemed to by eyeing it carefully, so I lowered it to my side and let my eyes wander from his as he had just done.

"I'm not quite sure actually," he said as he furrowed his brow and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "No matter, I came looking for you because we've been... uh... 'summoned' again."

I took note of how he used his hands to quote himself as he said "summoned" and frowned at him because that gesture paired with that word meant only one thing.

"You mean, the Capitol is coming for us again?"

His face stiffened slightly as he nodded; my heart tightened slightly. He tore a leaf off of a nearby branch and began to examine it carefully.

"Effie just called to tell me that they're calling a District meeting. She said that we were supposed to be waiting with Haymitch when _they_ arrive to pick us up."

Ever since we had returned from the games, being escorted was a must; even though the Capitol despised us, they didn't want us to somehow disappear or be kiddnapped- although that never would happen; the public adored us. I never would understand their logic.

"But... nothing has happened for such a long time," I said with a slight bit of anger lingering in my voice. "What are they calling a District meeting for?"

Peeta shook his head slowly which made his hair sway softly. His golden locks had grown slightly since I had last seen him, and I couldn't help but feel a slight tug at my heart. I always had loved his hair because it was so simple and natural.

"I have no idea, but whatever it is... well, we better be prepared for the worst." He smirked slightly, almost bitterly for a fleeting second and turned his eyes from mine again. "The Capitol hardly ever calls a meeting for a pleasant reason."

I took a deep breath and looked at my surroundings. Everything was so peaceful. _Why can't our lives be that way?_ The trees were stories high out here in the middle of the woods because no man had ever touched them. Grasses grew endlessly and flowers bloomed without any fear of being picked. Wild animals loped around carelessly, fearlessly; birds sang loudly. Nothing was ever disturbed. Everything was so peaceful.

It was disheartening to think that as soon as we crawled through the gate again our lives would be engulfed by danger, mayhem, and fear. Peeta eyed me carefully again and then cleared his throat loudly.

"What? Oh, sorry," I said, finally realizing that I had gone off into a different state of consciousness. "Well, I guess we'd better just go then."

I readjusted the pack that was hanging on my shoulder, stuffed my bow back into its quiver, and headed towards Peeta in a slow sort of way.

"Katniss, aren't you forgetting something?" he asked as I met up with him.

I looked behind me and waved my hand in the direction of the helpless, lifeless, buck.

"What's the use, Peeta?" I asked dully, without the slightest trace of emotion in my voice.

He frowned and furrowed his brow at me again; suddenly I felt the soft but fierce grip of his gentle hand on my chin. Peeta pulled my face towards him so that I would look him in the eye.

"Look, you can't just give up on life because they're calling a meeting!" his voice had a touch of irritation to it that I couldn't understand.

It startled me, and for some reason I couldn't help but wonder if he was also referring to me giving up on a part of life because of him... because of gale... because of everything that's happened between us.

His voice softened,"Why don't you at least let me _try _to help you?" he asked with sad eyes.

I stared blankly at him. I literally felt like my heart was burning. _But why? _I didn't want him to let go of my face, but I felt like I should slap his hand away and run from him as quickly as possible. My eyes were fastened to his; neither of us moved... we just stood there and stared at each other. I could hear my heart beating in my ears.

After a few intense moments he blinked quickly and slowly let his hand fall to his side, "Sorry... I didn't mean to startle you," He ruffled his hair with the hand that had just been on my chin. "I just wanted to help."

I took a step back from him and shook my head, "It's... fine... Look, we can't get that buck back home. We just aren't strong enough."

I could see the pain in his eyes because he knew I was referring to his leg and him not being of any help to the situation. I felt bad for hinting towards that, but what was I supposed to do? Let him try to pick up the gigantic animal and end up ripping his leg all apart? No.

And then I remembered that I had some rope in my pack.

I looked at him thoughtfully with my head cocked to the side, "Do you think we could somehow use rope to tie him up and, maybe, drag him back with us?"

Peeta looked hopeful for a second, and then became a little confused, "I think it would work better if we put some sort of sled-like object underneath him."

After a little conversation, some creative thinking, some rope, a few branches, and a lot of hard work, we got the buck back home with us. Though, it was quite difficult getting the animal underneath the fence.

We had not crawled under the same piece of gate that I had nearly a year ago to the day, the section of the gate that I had began to use was directly behind my new home, the one in Victor's Village. I crawled into my measureless backyard first and then helped Peeta to pull the buck through the small rut that I had previously dug. After the buck was through I gave Peeta some assistance getting through as well. He seemed to be struggling after the difficult task, so I ran back into the forest and searched for a sturdy branch for him to lean on. I found one that was fairly stiff and returned it to him quickly.

I smiled at him after he had regained his balance and brushed a stray patch of dirt from the collar of his shirt. Our eyes connected, and he grinned bashfully at me; when I had realized what I had just done I looked away quickly and cleared my throat.

"...Uh... thanks for the help."I muttered.

He smiled softly at me and reached out his hand to mine. I would never know what he was about to say or do though because the piercing voice of Effie Trinket interrupted all of our thoughts. I couldn't decide if I was angry at her for interrupting or thankful; I still couldn't understand the way I was feeling about him. I never had been able to correctly organize my thoughts about Peeta... or Gale for that matter.

"Katniss!" she squealed as she barreled towards us, "Finally, you're here. Oh, they are going to have a fit if we are late!"

I glanced up at Peeta for a brief second and chuckled when I saw the look of utter annoyance and disgust upon his face. I'm not quite sure if he heard me laugh or not, though, because I was too busy concentrating on my footing- Effie was literally dragging me back to my house. It was difficult enough to drag the buck behind me, but now, with someone else dragging me, it was a seemingly impossible task.

"Hurry up, Katniss! We still have to make you presentable." her voice saddened very suddenly, "The Mayor has some very important news to share with the public... and... and... you need to look presentable!"

I regained my balance and glanced behind me to make sure that Peeta was close behind; he seemed to be keeping up fairly well. I had to admit that he was adjusting fairly quickly to his prosthetic leg.

I directed my attention back to Effie, "What exactly is going on?" I asked quietly.

Effie's face hardened and her stride became more stiff, and I didn't know if I was imagining it or not, but it looked like tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. Effie- cry? I had to be imagining it, but no, she definitely looked upset- very upset.

"Not now, Katniss," she said quietly. "Let's just focus on one thing at a time."

I strong feeling of dread had began to settle in the pit of my stomach. The Mayor had something very bad to say to us. I glanced back at Peeta and he looked as if he felt the same as I did. I thought that nothing could possibly get any worse, but I had a gut feeling that things were getting ready to.

**A/N: Well, what do you think? Let me know if you like it or not. If I don't get reviews I assume that you don't like it. I'll take criticism if that's all you have! Just let me know your opinion.**


End file.
